Refunds
Refunds of road user charges may be payable in a variety of circumstances, for example:
- when distance is travelled off-road
- unused distance due to hubodometer change
- when a vehicle is permanently destroyed, exported or its registration cancelled.
The following provision relates to distance licences only:
When distance is travelled off-roadoff the public roads
You can apply for a refund for any distance travelled off-road*.
- Your claim must be for $20 or more.
- Claims can only be submitted on RUC licences that have expired i.e. all distance covered by that licence has been used, or if the vehicle has been sold or deregistered.
- Off-road claims must be received within two years of the issue date of the RUC licence which the claim is for.
* Off-road travel is defined as distance travelled by the RUC vehicle was not used on a road or was used on a road that the RUC collector/NZTA is satisfied is not maintained by public funds.
To apply:
- Fill out the RUCOR application form . You can complete the form online and save it for emailing or printing. Ensure all fields of the application form are completed.
- Send your form to us via email or post:
Email
Admin.RUCAssessments@nzta.govt.nz
Post
NZ Transport Agency
RUC Assessments
Private Bag 11777
Palmerston North 4442
Please allow up to 10 days for your application to be received and processed. Note: posted applications may take longer based on delivery timing.
Vehicle operators must keep records of all distance travelled off-road. Records of off-road travel must be retained for a period of two years from date of application for a refund. Note: There is no criteria for the type of records that must be kept, however, an officer authorised by the NZ Transport Agency must be satisfied as to where, when and how much distance was travelled off-road.
All off-road refund applications are subject to audit, and records can be requested/sighted by an authorised officer at any time.
Unused distance due to hubodometer change
If an unexpired licence has been replaced due to a change of hubodometer, be sure your refund application includes the hubodometer reading at the time the hubodometer was found to be unserviceable. If the hubodometer is lost or stolen, include a calculated estimate of what the reading would have been at the time of loss or theft.
Unserviceable hubodometers must be kept for a period of three months. Applications for refunds should be made as soon as a replacement licence has been purchased and the licence label returned with a change of hubodometer form (RUCHO) which is available from RUC agents or from the RUC Contact Centre .
When a vehicle is permanently destroyed, exported or cancelled
Refunds may be granted after the vehicle’s registration has been cancelled.
To cancel the vehicle’s registration, complete an application to cancel registration (MR15) transaction at a Transport Agency agent, together with the vehicle’s number plates. The MR15 requires the current reading of your distance recorder (odometer or hubodometer) to be recorded at the time the vehicle is cancelled.